A Night's Remembrance
by friends and p-f4ever
Summary: One boy’s journey to discover the life he never knew he had could just be enough to answer one of creation’s oldest mysteries.


Throughout history there has been no greater question than 'What does it take to be a man'. Is it what we as humans accomplish, or is it determined by the things we hope to accomplish? Do our thoughts and dreams effect who we become, or is our life already predetermined by some greater element? One boy's journey to discover the life he never knew he had could just be enough to answer one of creation's oldest mysteries.

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_Chapter 1: A Picture Worth A Thousand Words_

The sun was just beginning to set as the golden orb hung itself over the small town of Pallet, painting the country sky several shades and hues of orange and blue. A slight fog of dust lingered in the brisk air as two teenagers made their way down the road.

"Though I do always love traveling, it is nice to be back home." The raven haired boy sighed as he removed his baseball cap from its previous spot on his head to run his gloved fingers through the dark locks. "And mom's cooking only makes it so much better!"

"Should've known that was the reason" A taller, darker skinned nineteen year old mused, shaking his head in amusement. "You sure it's not the fact Misty always greets you when you get home?"

"What?! Of course not Brock, don't be ridiculous."

"Ash, you know at fourteen it **is** okay to be interested in a girl. Hell enough of them are into you!" Brock chuckled, playfully punching his companion's shoulder.

"That's not true…is it Pikachu?" Ash questioned, turning to the Pokemon as it gleefully trotted along by his side.

"Pi Pikachu!" The electric rodent cheered, somewhat tickled by the light crimson color that flushed across his trainer's face.

"Oh look…my house." Ash felt a pang of guilty pleasure in the ability to distract his friends so easily, smirking as the Pewter City Gym Leader and mouse Pokemon rushed in front of him.

As a wave of adrenaline surged through his tired mind, Ash allowed his legs to move freely, easily catching up with his traveling partners. Quickly pushing past the others, the chocolate eyed boy threw the door open as the strong smell of his mother's cooking swept over him. Kicking off his shoes and hanging his hat up, he made his way into the kitchen as Brock and Pikachu finally entered the house.

"Hi mom!" Ash chirped, hugging his mother from behind and stealing a small dollop of sauce from the pot on the stove in front of her. "It already taste great!"

"Oh I'm so glad you're home honey!" Delia Ketchum said happily, while still swatting away her son's fingers from sneaking anymore food off the stove.

"I see your childishness and appetite are still in tack after traveling through Sinnoh." A feminine voice joked from the doorway. Turning his attention behind him, Ash's smile only widened.

"And I see your sarcasm and bitterness is the same as always Misty." The orange haired girl frowned, folding her arms across her chest.

"Humph! Well if I'm just going to take verbal abuse I might as well just leave." As Misty began to walk away, she felt someone grab her forearm and hold her in place.

"No, don't do that. I've already missed you enough." Ash spoke sweetly, surprising even himself by pulling the Cerulean native into a friendly hug. "It's been too long."

"It has." Misty replied once the initial shock subsided, releasing her embrace once she heard Brock enter the room.

"Oh and I suppose I don't get anything." He snickered as he wrapped his arms around Misty in a brotherly hug.

"How were the Officer Jenny and Nurse Joys in the Sinnoh region?" Misty asked playfully, chuckling as a look between love and lust passed across her dark skinned friend's face.

"As beautiful as ever." He replied dreamily, smirking at the look of disgust both Ash and Misty gave him.

"Oh darn! I seemed to have forgot a couple ingredients. Oh well, I'll just have to go out to the store and-" Delia began but was quickly interrupted as the sound of the front door slamming filled the homestead. The elder looked at the two younger teens in confusion.

"I think Brock wants to volunteer." Misty informed cynically. _Some things never change._

"Oh, well that was nice of him but…he forgot to take the shopping list." Delia stated, holding up a small piece of notebook paper with a couple words scribbled down on it. "Why does he always do that? Oh well, come on Mr. Mime we're off to the store!"

"Mime Mr. Mime Mime!" The physic Pokemon responded as the two made their way out of the house and toward the local market.

"So…" Misty spoke after a few moments of silence fell upon the two life long friends. "You're mom was telling me about the new outfit she made you for when you leave for the next region. You maybe want to go searching for it?"

"Is Pikachu yellow?! Come on let's go!" Ash replied brightly, taking Misty's hand in his own and pulling her up the stairs to his mother's room, Pikachu following closely behind.

"Ash, I was only kidding! We can't just go rummaging through your mom's stuff!" Misty reasoned as she took a seat on the bottom of the queen sized bed. Ignoring the Gym Leader completely, Ash swung the closet door open, pulling out all of the boxes he could find. _Well, if you can't beat them…join them._

Sighing, Misty began helping Ash open one container at a time. As the two teens continued shuffling through box after box, the contents of one caught their attention.

"Is this a box of photos?" Misty questioned, pulling out a couple of the pictures.

"I think so, but…I don't remember seeing any of these before." Ash responded as he fingered through the crate, his mind racing with various thoughts and questions.

"Pikachu Pi!" Pikachu called from beside Misty, pointing at the certain snapshot the girl had in her hands. Crawling over, Ash pushed toward the water trainer as much as possible, peering over her shoulder slightly to get a better view.

"Do you know this guy Ash?" Misty asked, holding the picture up a little higher and pointing a slender finger at the teen standing opposite of a younger Delia and Professor Oak. The male's dark brown hair was tussled, sticking out several different ways as his pitch black eyes seemed to stare into the soul of the photographer. His grin seemed almost familiar, welcoming yet challenging, immature yet sophisticated.

"Ash…he looks a lot like you." Misty spoke quietly, a very large assumption beginning to form within the confines of her brain.

"But you don't think…he's…" Ash began, his voice weak as he tried to fight off tears. For years and years he had always wondered who his father was, tossing and turning endless nights when the answer may have been in his house all along. Shaking his head to clear his rushing mind, the raven haired boy took the photos out of Misty's hand and flipped to the next one. "Is that Gary…and…and me?!"

A shot of two infants, no older than six or seven months, sat in Ash's grasp. Both children were smiling and giggling with very little hair on their head's, one having jet black locks and the other auburn. Gary's black eyes looked like saucers in comparison to the rest of his face, while Ash's chestnut pools shone with excitement.

"Are you sure you've never seen either of these photos before?" Misty inquired, turning to face Ash. She felt as though someone stabbed her heart as she looked into his eyes, their usual shine dull and dim with questions and concern.

"I'm…I'm sure. But…wait!" Ash bellowed, pushing all the boxes out of the way and slamming the two photographs onto the floor. "Look at this. In this picture this guy has hair similar to mine…"

"And his smile looks **exactly** like yours." Misty finished, thousands of pieces of information trying to come together into one thought within her mind.

"Right. But then look at the color of his hair…and even my mom's hair. Who do you think of?"

"Well…if I had to say someone I'd say the first person I think of is Gary."

"Now look at how my mom and I have the same color eyes. See anything similar?"

"The mystery man and Gary!" Misty shouted, picking up the picture in question and pointing at Professor Oak. "So…do you think that…this man is Professor Oak's son?"

"Yes, which would make him Gary's father. And based on the resemblances between this man and me, and Gary and my mom…"

"You and Gary are brothers, fraternal twins even! So that makes who ever this is your father!" Ash nodded, a hollow sense of happiness filling him.

_For so long all I wanted was to know who my father was, but I didn't expect all this! _Ash thought bitterly to himself. _Why all the secrets? My old rival…my own flesh and blood!_

"Do you think Gary knows?" Misty asked, knocking Ash out of his previous thought process.

"I don't know, but I doubt it. I just…how did I not see this earlier?! It all makes sense now. Gary and I having the same birthday, him not having a mother, neither of us having a father!" Ash could feel himself breaking down, and knew Misty could tell. Without second thought the cerulean eyed teen pulled him into a soothing embrace, placing his head on her shoulder as she rubbed his back slowly and calmly.

"How would you have had any reason to believe such a thing? Look on the bright side…you now have something to hold over Gary's head." Misty joked grimly, knowing that right now nothing would make the situation lighter.

"No…I can't just sit here and let this go by. I need to know. I need answers!" Ash pulled himself away from Misty and got to his feet, holding out his hand to aid her up. "Come on." He said, briskly walking out the door. "We're going to pay the Professor a visit."

**A/N: Review and tell me what you think so far.**ow Hdfd


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